After you apply: get next steps

Once we have received your application for a work permit, we will start processing it.

You may be asked to go to an interview with Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials in your country or to send more information.

You might need a medical examination to be allowed to enter Canada. If you do, an officer will tell you so and will send you instructions on what to do. A medical examination can add over three months to the time it takes to process your application.

An officer will also need to determine certain things before your application for a work permit will be approved. These include:

• that the employer is eligible to hire you;
• that you are able to work in Canada according to the new four-year maximum rule implemented April 1, 2011; and
• that you qualify for a work permit and have submitted all the necessary documents.

An officer may impose, change or cancel conditions when issuing a work permit. These conditions may include:

• the type of work you can do;
• the employer you can work for;
• where you can work; and
• how long you can work.

If you have been authorized to work by a visa office outside of Canada, you will receive a letter of introduction stating that you are allowed to work in Canada. That letter is not a work permit.

In some cases, a temporary resident visa may also be placed on your passport. Remember that a work permit is not a visa to enter Canada, and having authorization to work in Canada does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter the country. You will know if you need a visa from following the steps in the application process.

When you arrive in Canada, you must show your letter of introduction to the Border Services Officer (BSO). You must also show your passport, your visa (if one is required) and any travel documents you are carrying (such as airline tickets). The BSO will then give you a work permit that sets out the conditions of your stay and work in Canada. These may include your job title, your employer and the length of time you can work in Canada.